Electrical binding post



NOV. 4, 1947. I s, WALLACE 2,430,091

ELECTRICAL BINDING POST Filed Feb. 10, 1944 mama Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL BINDING POST Stanley Wallace, Chicago, Ill. Application February 10, 1944, Serial No. 521,783

(Claims.

This invention relates to fastening devices, and is particularly concerned with a new binding post assembh for securing and interconnecting electrical wires.

The principal obiect of the invention resides in the provision of a binding post for use with braided or stranded wires as well as for use with solid stripped wires.

specific binding post include simplification in production, therefore less expenditure in materials and costs, greater adaptability for service and ease in manipulation. therefore better utility. and greater certainty in operation with improved coaction between stationary and movable parts, whereby damage to the wires is avoided.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description of a practical embodiment which is presented below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 represents an elevational view of an exobiects and novel features or the new ample of the new binding post in attachment with a suitable panel;

Fig. 2 shows an elevational view of the binding post taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. l, with the panel in section, indicating how the base or stationary part of the binding post is attached to the panel;

Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the assembly taken along lines 3-4 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 shows an elevational top view of the base or clamping portion of the base with the shank of the binding post in section.

Like parts are indicated in the drawings by like reference numerals. Known elements and details will be discussed only to the extent required for an understanding of what is considered new.

The binding post as a whole isgindicated by reference numeral I. Its movable part, including the nut l1 and theclamping cap 20, is shown generally by reference numeral 2, and its stationary part, including the base 6, is indicated by reference numeral 3. The panel to which the binding post is attached is indicated by the reference numeral 4.

The panel may be made of suitable insulating material or, if conductive interconnection is desired between some or all of the binding posts mounted on it, the panel may be made correspondingly in part or in whole of conductive material. The latter case may arise, e. g., when it is desired to connect a plurality of binding posts to a common potential.

The stationary part or base of the binding post comprises a hollow body or shell 8 which may be drawn. stamped, extruded or die-cast from suitable material. This base is attached to a stud having an enlargement 5 forming a shoulder I which may be corrugated or provided with vertical grooves, as indicated at 8, extending through a punched hole'in the base. as shown. The section I is piened or spun over as noted at 9 so as to form a unit with the stud. A threaded shank l0 extends from the enlargement I for insertion into a hole Ii in the panel 4. The shank Ill, and therewith the entire assembly. i secured in position on the panel 4 by means of a washer l2 and a nut l3 disposed in a, suitable cavity ll in the rear of the panel 4. Lips or ears 30 depend from the base and engage suitable cavities ii in the panel so as to prevent angular displacement of the assembly on the panel.

The enlargement 5 forms within the base 5 a centrally disposed body which acts in the manner of a stop or shoulder resting on the panel in alignment with the ends or edges of the overhanging flange-llke walls of the base. Expressed in other words, the stationary part or base of the device is provided with a centrally disposed member acting in the manner of a spacer means forming a shoulder disposed in a common plane with the ends or edges of the walls of the base and spacing the face of the base with respect to the face of the panel and in proper alignment therewith. The structure prevents undesired stresses on the base incident to the mounting thereof, and holds the base against axial displacement, while the lips or ears 3!! operate to secure the base against angular displacement. The openings or cavities 31 which receive the lips 30 are shown somewhat enlarged in the drawing Fig. 2 in order to bring out their relationship. The actual size of these cavities will depend on the size of the lips, and is preferably chosen just a trifle larger'than the lips to assure easy insertion thereof.

The base 6 thus forms a member projecting from the panel in the form of an inverted cup. The face of the base is provided with two parallel grooves 25 and 28 for receiving the wire or wires to be attached thereto. One or both of the grooves may be providedwith an opening 29.

The mounting stud carries a threaded extension ii for engagement with a threaded hole It in the nut H. The latter is provided with a counter-bore 2i and the end of the studded extension I5 is peined or spun over as shown at 22. The nut I! can thus be moved up and down along the stud extension [5 within the depth limits of Jects through a center the counter-bore 2|. stud coacts with the shoulder formed by the coun. tor-bore 2| in the manner of a limit stop for the di ngaging threading operation of the nut II. The nut therefore forms on the assembly an axially movable-member which, however, cannot be permanently detached. except by forcible removal of the spun or peined over portion 22. Inadvertent loss of the nut or clamp portion of the assembly is thus avoided.

The nut l1 carries an extension which proopening in the clamping cap 20 and is lightly spun or-peined over as shown at is and I3, so as to permit free rotation of the nut i! with respect to the clamping cap.

The clamping cap may be drawn, extruded, stamped or die-cast from suitable material and carries a flange 23 forming a shallow inverted cup, and within the cavity of such cup is formed a clamping post 24 for coaction with the groove 23 in the stationary base 3 and a pin 26 for coaction with the hole 29 in the groove 23 provided on the other side of the base. The clamping post 24 is provided for securing solid stripped wire in the groove 25 and the pin 26 serves the purpose of making contact with braided or stranded wire disposed in the groove 26 of the base. The piercing pin 26 is staked together with the clamping cap 20. It serves the purpose of piercing stranded wire placed in position of attachment in the groove 26, thus establishing contact with the conductor without requiring removal of the insulation thereof.

Extensions 32 and 33 are provided on the clamping cap 20, one at either side thereof. These extensions may be made of the material of the cap and form a unit therewith. Each of these extensions is edgewise embossed or shaped so as to form a raised central portion, which may be of convex configuration, and flat contact surfaces along the inner edges thereof for axial gliding or sliding engagement with the corresponding outer flange surfaces of the stationary base. The extensions 32, 33 hold the clamping cap against rotation with respect to the nut ll; they also guide the clamping motion of the cap axially with respect to the base 6 and assure the application of clamping forces perpendicularly with which are to be secured in and grinding forces which may cause dislocation of the wires and damage thereto, are avoided. The inner sliding surfaces of the extensions 32, 33 are shown in Fig. 2 spaced from the outer flange surfaces of the base 6 on a somewhat exaggerated scale. A loose slide fit is provided in practice.

piece by simple lathe or screw machine operations. The stationary base 6 and the clamping cap 20 may each be made by simple drawing, extruding or die-casting operations. The assembly of the base 6 with the stud is made by a very simple peining operation. The same holds true of the movable attachment between the nut I1 and the clamping cap 20. The piercing pin 26 can be efficiently and cheaply produced by well known lathe operation and its attachment accomplished by a simple staking operation to secure it in position in the clamping cap 20. The final securing of the movable por- 3 Thepeinedendflottha 4 tionofthedeviceisalsoobtainedbyasinmle peining operation at the end of the threaded extension II which is spun over to produce the shoulder required for preventing tachment of the nut ding casting and The operation of the device is as simple as its structure. The attachment on the panel 4 requires merely well known insertion of the lock washer l2 and attachment of the nut l3. Anguor turning of the stationary base on the panel is prevented by the ears or lips 33 which engage the apertures 3|, and undesired stresses are avoided by the spacer function of the enlargement I. The device may be placed at any angle on the panel 4 and provides the grooves 23 and 23 for receiving the correspond- The clamping motion of the cap 20 and the clamping post 24. as well as the contact pin 23, is always perpendicular, all twisting and grinding forces being avoided by the guide extensions 32, 33, and damage to the wires is therefore avoided. The wires attached as described are electrically interconnected.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims wherein is defined what is considered new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent of the United States.

I claim:

1. A binding post for securing a plurality of electrical wires comprising a generally cup-shaped body forming a base for inverted edgewise attachment to the face of a suitable panel and carrying a plurality of parallel wire-receiving grooves in the face thereof which extend in parallel with but spaced from the face of said panel when said base is attached thereto, a stud carried by said base in fixed relation therewith and pro- Jecting therefrom on either side thereof, means for securing one end of said stud in said panel to obtain attachment of said base in fixed engagement therewith, means extending from said base into said panel to prevent angular displacement of the base thereon, a body cap for coaction with said base, means depending downwardly from said clamping cap on opposite sides thereof and forming guide surfaces for sliding engagement with the sides of said base, and

means including the other end of said stud for mounting said clamping cap in movable relation with respect to said base.

2. A binding post for securing a plurality of electrical wires comprising a generally cup-shaped tachment to the face of a suitable panel and carrying a plurality of parallel wire-receiving grooves in the face thereof which extend in parallel with but spaced from the face of said panel when said base is attached thereto, a stud carried by said base in fixed relation therewith and projectment therewith, means extending from said base into said panel .to prevent angular displacement 5 of the base thereoma body forming a clamping cap for coaction with said base, means depending downwardly from said clamping cap on opposite sides thereof and forming guide surfaces for sliding engagement with the sides of said base, an 10 extension projecting from the floor of said clamping cap forming a clamping post for coaction with one of said grooves in said base, and a pinlike member depending from the floor of said clamping cap for coaction with another one of 15 said grooves in said base.

3. A binding post for securing a plurality of electrical wires comprising a generally cup-shaped body forming a base for-inverted edgewise attachment to the face of a suitable panel and carrying a plurality of parallel wire-receiving grooves in the face thereof which extend in parallel with but spaced from the face of said panel when said base is attached thereto, a stud carried by said base in fixed relation therewith and projecting therefrom on either side thereof, means for securing one end of said stud in said panel to obtain attachment of said base in fixed engagement therewith, means extending from said base V into said panel to prevent angular displacement of so the base thereon, a body forming a clamping cap for coaction with said base, means depending downwardly from said clamping cap on opposite sides thereof and forming guide surfaces for sliding engagement with the sides of said base, a nut 35 disposed on the other end of said stud in threaded relation therewith, said nut carrying an extension which is disposed in rotatable engagement with said clamping cap for the purpose of slidably moving said clamping cap with respect to 4 said base responsive to rotation of said nut on said stud.

4. A binding post for securing a plurality 'of electrical wires comprising a-generally cup-shaped body forming a base for inverted edgewise attach- 5 6 ment to the face of a suitable panel and carrying a plurality of parallel wire-receiving grooves in the face thereof which extend in parallel with but spaced from'the face'of said panel when said base is attached thereto, a stud carried by said base in fixed relation therewith and projecting therefrom on either side thereof, means for securing one end of said stud in said panel to obtain attachment of said base in fixed engagement therewith, means extending from said base into said panel to prevent angular displacement of the base thereon, a body forming a clamping cap for coaction with said base, means depending downwardly from said clamping cap on opposite sides'thereof and forming guide surfaces for sliding engagement with the sides of said base, an extension projecting from the fioor of said clamping cap forming a clamping post for coaction with one of said grooves in said base to establish connection with a solid stripped wire disposed therein, and a pin-like member depending from the floor of said clamping cap for coaction with another one of said grooves in said base to establish connection with a braided or stranded wire disposed in such other groove.

STANLEY WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,267,449 Eby Dec. 23, 1941 1,699,958 Eby Jan. 22, 1929 1,808,285 Brady June 2, 1981 1,247,916 Weiss Nov. 27, 1917 1,762,543 Bowles June 10, 1930 1,773,310 Jones et a1 Aug. 19, 1930 1,645,541 Ogle Oct. 18, 1941 1,867,918 Lofgren July 19, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 18,602 Great Britain 1911 

